New Beginnings
by Zerojackson
Summary: A 365 Day Freewrite Writing Challenge, based on prompts! Prompt: Money: Kakuzu is counting money. Hidan concocts a plan to prank his partner/hated enemy. It goes very, very wrong. Kakazu and Hidan Friendship. Humour. Day 17 of 365!
1. New Beginnings: Anko

**Okay, here we go! Hello everybody, and welcome to day one of Zerojackson's 365 Day Challenge, AKA New Beginnings! So, I've decided that I want to improve my writing, and a way to do that is to challenge oneself. So, because of this, I've taken up a yearly challenge. Due to finding a prompt for each day of the year on a website, I have decided to take this upon myself. So, this means, that every single day, I must write a piece of either fiction or fanfiction based on the prompt, and try and post it onto either here or another website. Before we get going, a couple of things to note:**

**Each and every prompt will most likely contain a different pairing or person. Or, rather, every prompt will most likely have something different about them. For example, Anko is the main protagonist of this little freewrite, whereas tomorrow's might end up being NaruHina, or something similar. This also means, however, that each chapter might contain a character or pairing you dislike. What I would suggest, then, is checking back every day to see if there is a chapter you would care to read. As such, each day the summary of this story will change to fit the pairing/friendship/character that the prompt is about. If you have checked out this chapter, and you are here for something else, don't be alarmed! Just check the other chapters and you should (hopefully) find the chapter you are looking for.**

**For each chapter, I will post in the chapter's name what the chapter is going to be about. There are three categories for this are:**

**A pairing: So, for example, NaruHina.**

**A Character: So, for example, Anko.**

**Friendship: So, for example, Naruto & Sasuke.**

**So this chapter will be titled: New Beginnings: Anko.**

**Whereas the next may be titled: Cause/Effect: NaruHina, or something of that sort.**

**Got it? Good.**

**I may also end up branching into other fandoms as well, so if there is a day missing, that is probably why.**

**And, finally, I'm doing freewrites here, not one-shots. There is a difference, for me at least. A freewrite for me involve no prior planning, or, rather, no putting down any plans on paper. This all needs to come from my head on the day the prompt is received, and I need to finish it by the end of the day. I also do not like to go and check back my work. I know that may sound somewhat counter-productive, but one of the points of this is for me to try and minimise as many spelling errors as possible. That being said, after a few days, and if I have time, I will head back and try and correct any grammar or spelling errors. So, overall, the plots of these freewrites may be rushed, and they may not be to the best of my ability. But, I'm going to try my hardest to keep you all entertained.**

**That's about all I think I need to talk about right now. I hope you enjoy this first chapter, and I look forward to (hopefully) having you along for the ride! If you have any questions, or would like the list of prompts I am using, I will gladly send it to you through PM. So, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of New Beginnings!**

* * *

Day 1: New Beginnings: Anko:

She felt numb.

Despite the warmth that the office seemed to produce, Anko didn't feel any of it. She didn't feel the wooden chair that she rested on. The small breeze that filtered through the crack in the window, the small fireplace that flittered and flicked around, the warming embers crackling lightly. She didn't feel them, either. No, she felt _nothing_.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had _never_ seen a girl quite so broken before. He'd seen the faces of loved ones that had lost their kin, the sight of fathers bawling over their sons graves, the small, watery eyes of a child that wouldn't have a mother or father to hold anymore. He had seen hundreds of these, and would perhaps see quite a few more.

And yet, the cold dead brown eyes in front of him struck him far harder than the ones before ever had.

She didn't really meet his gaze, or, rather, her eyes were so unfocused that it was hard to tell where she was looking. Her lilac hair was messy and dirty, her face caked in unmentionable substances that he didn't even want to think about. Her clothes were torn, revealing gashed and shredded skin, blood seeping from the wounds.

He'd tried to get her to see a doctor.

She had refused.

"Anko." His voice was low and fatherly, as he regarded the girl in front of him curiously. "How're you feeling?"

He did not get a response, except for a minor shift of the seventeen year old girl's body. He sighed. "Anko?" He tried again. Still no response.

The two ANBU Member's standing in the corners shifted awkwardly.

"Lord Hokage." A feminine voice came from one of the figures, her mask a swirl of brown and white feathers, and a yellow beak. "Should we take her to the psychiatric unit?"

"Anko? Please, speak to me?" He pressed, not replying to his ANBU.

"...Why did he leave?"

No. He was wrong. _This_ was what broke him the most.

Her brown eyes were now focused, but behind them revealed a terrible story. Anger, hatred, sadness, depression. Swirling dark colours that coiled around her brain, darkness that shrouded her vision, sadness that ached in her gut. Her fingernails were dug deep into the wooden chair, mouth curled into a snarl. Her distraughtness was being replaced with volcanic rage. "Why!? That piece of shit, after everything I've given him!"

"Anko-"

"HE BETRAYED ME, CAST ME OUT! HE WAS MY SENSEI, HE WAS MY FRIEND, AND THIS IS HOW HE REPAYS ME!? I CAN'T... I FUCKING CAN'T, FUCK!"

Her screams became more hysterical as tears rolled down her cheeks. The ANBU members went to move forward, but the Sandaime Hokage raised his hand to stop them, his face impassive. The woman in front of him continued to weep into her arm, fist smashing roughly against the chair she sat upon, almost splitting the armrest in two.

"I understand your pain."

"No you don't!" She roared, standing up, puffy eyes fixing the leader of Konoha with a ferocity filled glare. "I was abandoned, and left for dead by the _only_ man that ever truly cared for me! And he left me with this fucking thing!" She pulled down the collar of her tattered shirt, revealing the Curse Mark of Heaven, inky black and decrepit. "This is all he left me! I was just some stupid fucking experiment to that bastard! He's... he's... a monster. A FUCKING MONSTER-"

"_Enough._"

Hiruzen's voice was stern and echoed throughout the whole room. Even the ANBU members shrank back a little bit at the sound of their commanders tone. Anko paused in her demented ramblings, furiously wiping away the tears that continued to spill over her dirty face.

"Orochimaru... is different than most people." Hiruzen began, gesturing to the wooden chair Anko was previously sat in. With a small shiver, and averted gaze, the former student of Orochimaru sat back down. Raising his hand, The Third Hokage dismissed his begrudging ANBU, thus leaving him alone with the Snake Mistress.

She waited, her tears finally having stopped fallen, for her leader to continue. He took a while, regarding her with old and tired eyes. He promptly stood up, and walked over to the open window.

The sky now had the slight dusting of orange as shapely clouds drifted on by over the bustling city of Konoha. Traders and civilians wandered around the streets, selling wares and chatting amongst themselves within the mass of people. On the rooftops, however, lay a different story. Dark shapes blurred over the tiled roofs, barely making a sound as they darted in each and every direction, going about their business as if the bustling crowds down below didn't exist. Two different worlds, most certainly.

"He was always a prodigy." Despite himself and the occurrences just a few hours ago, The Third Hokage could not defeat the smile that graced his aged lips. "My prized student. A shinobi like no other, one that only comes once in a lifetime. And I loved him like my own son."

Anko had leaned in, eyes rapt on The Sandaime's back as he continued to speak and stare out onto the village that he ruled. "But I was blinded, Anko. I was blinded by my love for him, and thusly, I could not see what everybody else could. His malicious ways, his vicious experiments, his downright cruel treatment of those around him. I couldn't see it. And for that, Anko, I am sorry. Had I not been such a stubborn old fool, I could have averted this."

Hiruzen turned to face the now placid woman, whose brown eyes still held deep anger behind them, and yet were far, far calmed down than they were before. "Orochimaru is like a cancer. A growth, a tumour. He buries his way into your heart, into your brain and your soul. And then, when he's got a hold, and has a deep enough grip, he begins to eat you from the inside out."

Anko tried to blink back the wave of tears that came, but failed, leaping up. Hiruzen's eyes widened in alarm momentarily, until she leapt into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug as she cried.

A small, sad smile crept onto his face as he gently patted her back. "But, now, Anko, now you can begin the road to recovery. And we can cure the cancer that's infected your mind and body. And you can have a new beginning."

Anko hugged tighter, her voice muffled by the Hokage's robes. "Thank you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile wavered, as he too hugged the woman tighter.

"_I just wish that I could cure my cancer."_


	2. Cause and Effect: Sasuke

**Okay, here we go, Day 2. It's been a bit of a rough day, so I apologize if this isn't very good quality. I also understand that Sasuke's thoughts are most likely AU, and if that is the case, then count this as an AU one-shot. So, here we go, hope you enjoy Day 2!**

* * *

Day 2: Cause/Effect: Sasuke:

* * *

There was always a cause, and in return, came an effect.

Sasuke had thought long and hard about leaving the village. He had debated it, tossed and turned in his sleep, his dreams punctuated by visions of his team. But they were overshadowed by the nightmares of his clan's slaughter, the red eyes of his older brother, and the cackling glee of Orochimaru.

He _hated_ that man.

But, he was needed.

Kakashi's training wasn't helping. He wasn't growing any stronger under his tutelage. The Chidori, his strongest technique, did nothing in the battle against Gaara. They were weak. Naruto, was weak, blinded by childish notions of friendship. Sakura, was weak, her fangirlish tendencies disrupting any true path to becoming a ninja. And Kakashi, with all his talk of 'abandoning friends', did nothing to truly help him on his path for revenge.

But Orochimaru _did._

The man was sadistic and utterly pathetic, stalking his eyes like a predator stalks a young girl or boy. He was a revolting piece of shit. But, he had his uses.

Without him, Itachi wouldn't have died.

They had trained day in and day out, until he could not move, could barely form any chakra. He was beaten, battered and bruised to the point where he could not stand for days on end.

But he got stronger.

He was strong enough to kill his 'sensei'. He had killed him without a second though. That old man was a vile snake, and needed to be put down. And put him down he had.

Then came the formation of his team. Nothing more than useless bags of meat that had followed his commands without any thought. Fodder, is what they were. Nothing more, nothing less.

He had slaughtered that Akatsuki member, Deidara, with ease. He was nothing more than a man focused so much on his art, that he was blinded to the true power of an Uchiha.

And then had come Itachi.

There battle had been brutal and hard, but it was needed. All the training, all the friendships he had broken and all the ties he had cut, were for this one moment. The moment he would avenge his clan and be the killer of the mass murderer, Itachi Uchiha.

And he had succeeded.

For a short, short while, he was pleased, ecstatic even. He had defeated his brother, slain him, and stood tall as the victor. His clan had been avenged, his parents souls could now rest knowing he had defended their honour and killed someone not worth calling a man. Let alone an Uchiha.

Sasuke stood tall, in the pouring rain, injured and broken on that night.

Until the Masked Man came.

'Tobi' as he called himself at that time, whispered sweet nothings in his ear, and yet, also told the truth. Itachi had died for Konoha, protecting him in the process.

And just when he thought he could head back to Konoha, his home.

No, it wasn't his home anymore.

His brother was so desperate to protect Konoha, that he sacrificed the life of his family for the good of the village. Itachi was always selfless. But the village never deserved it. They sent good men to war, sent good men to die, and made good men do bad things to the people they loved. They made his brother slaughter his entire clan in cold blood, and leave him unawares of anything. He had _hated_ his brother for the longest time.

His ire had been misdirected.

Konoha would fall.

* * *

After some pathetic retrieval for Tobi, he set his sights on the real target. The Elders.

Danzo would be the first to fall. The man that ordered his brother to kill his family would be dead soon enough.

He had fought through Kage's and samurai, and came out victorious. And Danzo had lay dead at his feet, broken and battered, bloodied and bruised. The man had dared steal Sharingan, Uchiha eyes. The nerve!

And then they came.

Sakura was the first, she was always the first. She had made a feeble attempt to try and kill him.

And yet, as he almost killed her, and as Kakashi defended her, and as Naruto made his appearance, deep down he realized something.

He had been wrong.

As he looked into the horrified eyes of his sensei, the broken eyes of his former teammate, and the resolve in his brothers eyes, he realized that he shouldn't have left. He needn't have left.

But he had.

He didn't deserve to head back to Konoha.

He rejected Naruto once more, the same as he had when they had met not long ago. But this time, he had no goal, nor a purpose. He was just a wanderer.

There was no grandeur of birthing children, of becoming clan leader. He didn't want that anymore. He didn't deserve it anymore.

And that _had _been his mindset for the longest time.

Until he saw his brother again.

They had fought together, and talked, if only briefly. And he had said he was proud of him.

And the feelings of rage coiled in his gut once more.

His older brother should've been with him. Should've always been with him. His clan should've been still alive, his family waiting at home for him to welcome him back with open arms. His father to pat him on the head to tell him he had done well, his mother to give him a big hug and tell him she was proud. And his big brother to smile softly, and say, "Well done little brother."

But that was never going to happen.

Because of Konoha.

And now, there was no stopping him.

* * *

And he hadn't been stopped. It seemed like the 'Curse of Hatred' as the Hokage put it truly ran through his veins.

But it had come to fruition after the defeat of Madara and Obito. They weren't true Uchiha. They were naive. That was the reason he had to put them down.

But then, of course, they trusted him. Only for a moment.

But that was all that he needed.

Just like that, with a roar, he had plunged the Chidori straight through Naruto's face. Brain matter and blood scattered all around, the blonde's once cerulean blue eyes were utterly destroyed, sunny blonde hair now caked with blood.

And yet, once again, he had felt regret.

Regret that he had not felt for a while.

Regret towards the death of his adopted brother, and regret to every bad thing he had ever done. On the outside, he fought. But on the inside, he died.

Everything he had ever caused, always had an effect. And this effect was the death of the Hero of The Shinobi Nations.

But that was not the only effect.

He found it ironic, terribly so, that it was the weak kunoichi that had stalked him. He found it amusing almost, that she was the one to strike the killing blow.

Sakura Haruno had left him, broken legs, shattered ribs, a broken back. His internal organs were failing, blood was pooling into his lungs, and his skull was smashed.

But he remained conscious. Just long enough for him to realize that there was something he was worthy of. A painful death.

Before he slipped permanently into the blackness, he begged for forgiveness, from Itachi to Naruto, to everybody he had ever hurt. It as a silent prayer.

The cause of Sasuke's defection was a quest for power to slay his brother. The effect was the death of the Greatest Hero of the Shinobi World, Naruto Uzumaki. And, in turn, the death of the vilest traitor to ever walk the earth. And his name, was Sasuke Uchiha.


	3. Piece of Mind: ShinoSaku

**Well, here we go, day three! I found this one to be rather challenging, not because of the prompt itself, but working out where I wanted the story to go and what I wanted to be included and not included. Eventually, I decided on this :). This is the longest free-write I've done for this challenge so far, and the first one involving a pairing, which, if you couldn't guess, is ShinoSaku, a pairing I've never written before. So, enough of my talking, enjoy!**

* * *

Day Three: Piece of Mind: ShinoSaku

* * *

Shino was _not_ worried.

He was not a worrier, nor would he ever turn out to be one. It was not in his nature, nor would it ever be. While he loved his family and friends, he did not obsessively worry about them as if they were valuable pieces of china, able to be broken at the slightest touch.

Then, why was he perched on the dining chair in the kitchen, arms pointed upwards and hands clasped together, staring at the calendar?

She was meant to be back yesterday night.

But she wasn't.

Shino sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as he tried to take his mind off his girlfriend. He cast it back to earlier today, when lunchtime was fast approaching.

* * *

"_This is some good stuff Shino!" Kiba Inuzuka, wild brown hair and maniacal eyes exclaimed, stuffing a multitude of meats and other foodstuffs into his gaping maw. Akamaru yipped in agreement, scoffing down a piece of bacon that his master had unceremoniously dropped on the floor during the frenzied feeding._

_Hinata giggled softly at her teammate, as she tucked into her food with a bit more grace than the man and dog. "This is really good Shino!"_

_The Aburame man nodded in thanks, pulling down his collar and taking a drink from his cup. He surveyed his two teammates, and smiled warmly. What an interesting trio they had made in their genin days, and still made now. Such fond memories of when Kiba would proudly charge into anything head on without using his rather thick head, or when Hinata would blush profusely at the mere sight of Naruto Uzumaki, and then faint if he so much as looked at her. And, of course, his own stoic musings as he watched his two teammates and their odd ways from behind his sunglasses and heavy coat. But, well, he wasn't allowed to wear it as much outdoors anymore, nor was he allowed to wear his sunglasses indoors either. The only reason he wore them in the first place was due to his eyes hypersensitivity to sunlight. But she had all changed that. Speaking of which..._

"_Kiba." Shino's voice was soft and surprisingly warm, as a smile gripped at his face. "How is Ino?"_

_Kiba grinned wolfishly as he gobbled up another morsel of meat. "She's great! Pregnant with another pup currently-"_

"_Another?" Shino asked, as he struggled to keep the hint of incredulity out of his voice. He failed._

_The Inuzuka Clan Leader nodded happily, his grin growing with each passing moment. "Yup! This'll be number five!" _

_Hinata shook her head lightly, a small smile gracing her pale face. Shino, on the other hand, merely shook his head. Kiba had gotten Ino pregnant at age sixteen after a drunken outing. They'd somehow not torn each other apart, and were together ever since, producing another four (now five, Shino corrected himself) offspring. Kiba was only twenty one years of age, and had a family of that size already? Shino honestly didn't know whether to be impressed or not._

"_Hey, Hinata." Kiba steered the conversation away from his family and towards her. "Has Naruto knocked ya up yet?" And so, with the subtlety of Naruto's former bright orange jumpsuit, his male teammate had asked the question that had been on the edge of his lips, albeit in a nicer and far less crass way. She smiled, rather brightly in fact._

"_Sadly no. I-I mean no!" She added, with a cry of horror as a lecherous grin grew over the Inuzuka's face. _

"_Oh really? 'Sadly', eh?" His white teeth shone as much as his brown eyes, fairly well versed in mischief. "Have you two been having some 'fun'? Hitting the hay together, doing the hanky panky, starting up a conga line, playing top and tails, just plain fuc-"_

"_That's enough Kiba." Shino tried to calm his amused friend and the utterly horrified and blushing heiress. "Let Hinata have her privacy."_

_Kiba chuckled in reply, and continued to wolf down his meal with the table manners of a, well, dog._

_As Hinata's blush receded, she turned and faced Shino, fixing him with a curious glance. "And how're you and Sakura doing?" She inquired._

_A genuine smile crossed the Aburame's face, and he launched into a speech. "We're doing... fantastically. She's by far the smartest woman I've ever met. Her skill with Taijutsu and Medical Ninjutsu surpasses even Lady Tsunade and Gai-sensei. Not only that, but she's probably the kindest person I've ever met. And, a phenomenal cook. And-"_

_Kiba raised up his hand. "Chill bro, we got it! You're really hung up on her, ain't ya?"_

"_I would say I am 'hung up on her' as you most eloquently put it, Kiba, yes."_

_He grinned._

"_Well then, when are you gonna start making babies?"_

_Shino felt a blush ride up his neck. "When we're ready. We can't all be like you, Kiba."_

"_What, you can't be a lovemaking machine!?" He laughed, confidence glowing off of his tanned skin. _

_The Aburame man fixed him with a glower. "I was thinking more along the lines of a hormonal dog."_

"_Hey-"_

"_Anyway." Hinata wisely cut across the conversation. "We should probably be going now, right Kiba?"_

_Grumbling under his breath, The Inuzuka stood up, purposely wiping the crumbs off his shirt and onto the floor. Shino's eye twitched._

_Whether Kiba noticed this or not, he said. "You sure you don't want to come with us? It's been a while since we've all done some training together."_

"_Yes, it would be nice." Hinata added, smiling at him with her pretty lavender eyes._

_Shino shook his head in response, before adding. "No thank you. I'm awaiting Sakura's arrival home."_

_Hinata and Kiba shared a look, smirking at one another, before turning back to the Aburame. "Fair enough." The Inuzuka added. "Have fun!"_

"_Wait." Shino stated sternly, fixing his teammates with a steely glare each. "What was that _look_ for?"_

"_What look?" Hinata asked, bringing a finger to her chin and tapping it lightly. "I don't remember a look. Do you Kiba?"_

_The father of five shrugged his shoulders, reaching down and patting Akamaru's head. "Nope. Must be your imagination Shino." He winked. "Anyway, see ya later!"_

_And, with that, the two ninja and ninken escaped out of the Aburame Clan Leader's House as fast as they could, leaving him alone._

* * *

And that was where Shino had remained seated for the past two hours, taking turns staring at the wall clock and the calendar, as the world began to grow darker and colder.

He grumbled lightly to himself. Not thinking about Sakura had ended in _utter_ failure. He drummed his fingers on the table, waiting for any sign of his pink haired girlfriend.

After another hour, he let out a long, heaving sigh.

He still wasn't worried, though. She was _very_ capable, more so than himself, when it came to battle. She was fine, no doubt, merely taking her time getting home. Of course. She was totally fit and healthy, and not injured, not on the verge of death, not captured in an enemy prison, and not fornicating with another man.

Why did that last thought even cross his mind. Why did any of those thoughts cross his mind? Sakura was fine, and he was _not_ worried.

The sheer notion was ridiculous.

Or was it?

He was so confused.

* * *

"_Sakura." Shino leveled with his girlfriend, standing from his desk and looking her in the eye. "I've told you, I have work. And it's very important I deal with this clan business." _

_Sakura Haruno's jade eyes stared scornfully at the Aburame, her hand crossed over her small, but decent bust. Her pink hair was done impeccably, as was her make-up, and the red dress she was wearing was most form-fitting._

_But Shino was a bit pre-occupied. Much to her chagrin._

"_That's what you said yesterday." She snapped. "And the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that!"_

_Shino's mouth contorted into a frown. "I understand that." He stated evenly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "However, important clan business has just come up, and there is nothing I can do, Sakura. I am sorry, but-"_

"_The clan business is more important than us? Is that it?" Tears began pooling in the corners of her eyes, but her mouth told a different story, morphed into a forced scowl. "You know what, fuck it."_

_And, with a piercing glare that Shino was pretty sure actually ripped open an internal organ, Sakura stomped away, slamming the door with a loud crash._

* * *

He was pretty sure that hadn't helped at all. Sakura had quickly taken an escort mission that would take her out of the village for at least two weeks.

With a sigh, he slammed his head on the table. Dammit, was this what love did? Turned you insane. He _ached _for her. That's how badly he missed her, his body was physically aching. What the hell was wrong with him.

He needed to make it up to her, that was for damn sure. But how? She could turn up at any moment, he didn't have time to plan out something elaborate-

The front door opened, the sound of footsteps entering the hallway.

Shino was pretty sure his heart had just died of shock. _She _was here! And he hadn't done anything to make it up to her!

He raced out of his chair, at such a speed that even The Fourth Hokage would've been impressed with.

He stopped in the doorway to the hall that led to the front door. Sakura was taking off her cloak, ruffling her pink hair and shaking away a stray leaf. She turned and saw the panting Shino, and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Why do you look so tired? You know what, never mind... listen, I wanted to say I'm really sorry for when I got angry with you last time we spoke. I understand you're clan leader now, and you've got lots of work to do. And I know how stressful paperwork is, and I shouldn't pressure you, so-"

Her jade green eyes widened as Shino practically pounced on her, shoving her against the door and capturing her mouth with a passionate kiss. Sakura let out a squeak of surprise as Shino grabbed at her buttocks, pulling them upwards so soon her legs were wrapped around his waist, as they continued kissing against the door.

"What are you doing?" She panted, after they broke the lip-lock.

"I'm saying sorry." He answered, and without waiting for a reply, began to vigorously kiss her neck, twisting around on his heels, and heading up the stairs.

"Shino, wait! I need a shower, I need- OH MY FUCK! We can do this later, hon-HHGNFFF OH MY KAMI MO- At least let me take my boots oFFF HOLY SHIT!"

And so, Shino made it up to her _all_ night long.

* * *

***Insert sensual music***

**Shino's my favourite character, by the way. He may appear a lot, but we'll see what the prompts entail and if they allow me to work with a character such as himself. Anyway, have a great morning/afternoon/evening/night!**


	4. Childhood Memories

**All right everybody, here we go, Day Four! This chapter was meant to be much grander, a timeline of ages 1-12 going through each of the Konoha 12 in chronological order, but I just sort of lost interest. I wasn't really feeling up for writing today, honestly, and I think this one is by far the worst one I've done so far. But, I do hope you can get at least some form of enjoyment out of it! And, if not, well, hopefully tomorrow will be better! Enjoy!**

* * *

Day Four: Childhood Memories: Sasuke/Shino/Naruto/Neji:

* * *

In the darkened room, in his wooden crib, decorated with toys and shapes of all kinds, Sasuke gurgled to himself. It was rather early in the morning, around four am, but the young Uchiha was far too young to grasp time concepts, instead, he focused on grabbing his feet.

The sounds of footsteps echoing down the hall caught his attention somewhat, but the youngling was too busy trying to stuff his own foot in his mouth to truly contemplate it. The sound of voices, masculine in tone, were muffled by the door frame.

"Well done Itachi. Your skills continue to be a testament to the clan."

"Thank you, father."

"Go on and rest, you deserve it. Be ready for the meeting at six, though."

"Of course. Thank you."

The sound of two separate footsteps walking across floorboards soon disappeared into the early hours of the morning.

Sasuke's door creaked open, and a shadow slipped in.

Peering over the crib, was a pair of sharp obsidian eyes, and long black hair. Sasuke giggled.

"Hello little brother." Itachi greeted him, cocking his head to the side slightly. "Are you not asleep?"

A gurgle answered that.

"Hm, that is most unfortunate. You're heading out with mother to meet Lady Uzumaki, yes? Well, we shall have to get you to sleep then. Wait here."

For a moment, Itachi left his brother's vision, and Sasuke cocked his head to the side in confusion. But, he was back a moment later, and the young boy gurgled in happiness, chewing on his own foot.

Reaching into the crib, The Uchiha scooped up his little brother, cuddling him close to his chest. "I've got us something good to read." Itachi stated, showing the book to his little brother. "I read it when I was two years older than you. You'll love it."

He sat down in the nice rocking chair in the corner, Sasuke in the crook of his arm, and opened up the book.

With a small, genuine smile, Itachi began to read. "This is called 'The Art of War' by Sun Tsu, and..."

* * *

Yozura Aburame giggled slightly, as her son continued to try and walk by himself. The woman, with her long dark hair and vibrant green eyes, sat cross-legged on the floor. She held out her arms towards the boy, smiling at him.

"Come on Shino, you can do it!"

The Young Aburame, with brown eyes shining in amusement, took a few wobbly steps forward. "Mama." He said.

"Yes, come to mama, there we go, good bo-"

Shino then promptly fell on his face.

Yozura cringed, waiting for the masses of tears to come. They never did. Instead, Shino shakily got to his feet, wiped his nose, wiped the snot on his t-shirt, and walked over to his mother.

"Yay!" She cried, hugging her son as he giggled wildly, victory having been claimed.

It was at this point, with the click of the front door closing, that Yozura realized her husband was home.

Shibi stood in the doorframe with his usual grey trenchcoat and thick sunglasses. Behind them, however, his eyes were widened in utmost horror.

"What... is Shino wearing?"

Yozura frowned. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean? He looks so cute!"

And Shino did indeed look cute, wearing a lime green t-shirt with the words 'World's Best Son' written in neon yellow on the front. And, not to mention those adorable brown shorts with fluffy white socks and blue slip on shoes.

"He looks like a lemon and a lime had a baby, and then put it in a blender with a bunny rabbit, and then sprayed whatever colour that was onto his clothes." Shibi deadpanned.

"How rude!" Yozura crossed her arms over her chest. "I picked this out you know!"

"You never did have any fashion sense, dear."

Shibi walked over to his soon, scooping him up into his arms. "I'll show you how he can look, what's the word, 'trendy'?"

Without waiting for a reply, Shibi took his son into his room.

After about three minutes of waiting, Shibi beamed proudly as Shino totted out of his room, dressed in a dark grey trench coat, and thick black sunglasses.

Yozura's eye twitched. "He's just wearing what you wear!"

Shibi smiled. "Why of course. After all, I am, trendy."

And, so, the two Aburame's struck a pose. A cool pose.

Yozura laughed herself to tears.

Her two Aburame men were so very odd.

* * *

The alley was dark, and really, really smelly.

The young blonde boy was rummaging through the rubbish, throwing out anything that didn't look remotely edible. That amounted to... pretty much nothing, then. He didn't really fancy old dog food, or wet cardboard, or syringes, or... huh, odd balloon things. Why was there white stuff in them? Didn't look tasty, though.

The boy's cerulean eyes practically gleamed with happiness as he spotted the best thing so far. A pot of instant cook ramen! Yes!

Grinning ear to ear, Naruto began wildly digging to get to his prize, throwing each and every piece of garbage over his head until he got the so called golden ticket.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" He howled in excitement. "Ram-"

His face immediately fell.

The pot was empty.

Wiping at his eyes, the young boy threw the pot to the side, climbing down from the large bin he had been looking into. Turning around, he froze to the spot.

There, right in the middle of the alleyway, as a cup of instant ramen! And it was heated, he could smell it.

He leapt at the food, grabbing at the chopsticks that rested against it and began devouring the noodles like a man possessed.

On a rooftop, a figure stood, watching the youngling as he ate his way through his first meal in about three days.

The sliver of moonlight caught on the forms head, revealing a flash of grey. And, with a flip of a page, the man disappeared into the night.

* * *

The young boy sat in his room, animatedly drawing his latest creation. Long hair swept backwards, and wide white eyes focused, he scribbled at the piece of paper on the floor with a vigor unmatched. His father would adore this drawing, he was sure!

If he was allowed to admit it, which he was, this was by far his greatest creation yet! It was a fantastic flurry of colours and shapes, stick figures and a smiling sun and puffy clouds and everything! The boy sighed in happiness, before a grin overtook his face. He was really happy he was given the day off from training, and now he could go show his dad!

Leaping up, and grabbing the piece of paper, scattering crayons all over the floor and under the bed, the young boy raced off. The dodged and weaved past all manners of Branch Members, until he burst into his father's room.

"Dad!" Neji exclaimed, proudly showing off the drawing in the doorway.

Hizashi smiled softly, gesturing for his son to come on over. Lifting the boy onto his lap when he did so, he took a look at the picture up close.

It was of himself, his brother Hiashi, Hinata and Neji all stood in a line, holding hands, standing outside a square shaped Hyūga compound with a beaming sun and laughing flowers. Hizashi truly loved how childish Neji could be sometimes, considering the environment he lived in.

"That's very, very good." He praised, tapping the boy on the head. "Why don't you go and see if Hinata wishes to see it!?"

Neji grinned, leaping off his dad's leg and running to the door. "Wait!" Hizashi called. The youngling did so, turning and looking at his father with inquisitive eyes.

Hizashi smiled. "I love you, son."

Neji smiled softly. "Love you too dad!"

And then, he promptly ran off to find Hinata.

It would be the last time Neji would see his father alive.


	5. Speed: Hinata: Slight NaruHina

**Very brief authors note here, just to say, we're on Day Five! This has some slight NaruHina, and I do mean slight. It's most Hinata-centric, and it's probably my joint-favourite piece I've done so far (Next to the Sasuke and ShinoSaku ones). So, enjoy!**

* * *

Hinata's life had always been slow.

It wasn't that she wanted life to be all high-octane partying and fast cars, she wasn't into that in the slightest. Rather, she felt that her progress as a _person_ and a _businesswoman _was deeply stunted. Or, rather, it was.

Hinata had been born as the eldest child to a high sucessfully multi-million dollar company known as Hyūga Enterprises, which dealt with real estate and architectural design. The company was one of the most, if not the most highly regarded in all of Japan, famous for it's consistency with good work and the phenomenal work ethic of their employees. Her father, Hiashi Hyūga, was the current boss of the company, and had done well to improve it's already fantastic standing. And, of course, she was expected to fulfill her father's role when he passed, and had been groomed from the moment she was born to take the reigns.

The problem was, she _really_ didn't want to.

She had been forced time and time again to work with all the, quite frankly, stingy workers that her father employed, studying architecture all the way from the time of the Daimyo's! It was a boring, pointless exercise, in her opinion. And while she respected those who managed to do so; it quite frankly wasn't for her.

And her father _loathed_ her for it.

He was constantly barraging her with insults whenever possible. _Worthless, foolish, pathetic, a disappointment. _Those happened to be the most common ones. And he would do them anywhere; at the dinner table; before she left for school; at business conferences. It was just constant, all of the time. And it made her feel so, so sad. All she had ever wanted was for her family to love her. But, sadly, most of them seemed to hate her. Her cousin, Neji, absolutely despised her, though, quite frankly, no fault of her own. Her father was the oldest by about three minutes in a set of twins, and for some 'honourable' tradition this meant he would inherit the company, and his brother would be his... well, for lack of a better term, a secretary. Hizashi had not liked that one bit, and, so, had departed the company at the age of twenty-three, having fathered Neji. After trying to start up his own company, it bombed dramatically. Hizashi committed suicide, shooting himself through the head with a pistol. Neji had _despised_ her and her family ever since.

And so, throughout most of her days since then, she had felt deeply melancholic and depressed.

Until she met him.

The boy with the sun-kissed tanned skin and the golden hair and the bright cerulean blue eyes and the bulging muscles and the foxiest and most orgasmic grin on the planet. She had, of course, met Naruto Uzumaki, currently hired as a waiter in Ichiraku Ramen. Not to mention a orphan to.

She had fallen so deeply in the love with the boy, gazing at him during class, watching his every move, trying her hardest to gain a shred of courage and warmth that he possessed.

She had never been a very sociable person. A wallflower, as it were, perfectly content to stick herself in a corner, blush like mad, and pray everyone ignored her. And when she was in social situations, it generally consisted of squeaks, stutters, constant apologizing, and quite a red tint all over her face.

The first time she had spoken to him, he had taken a nasty fall while running away from Kiba, and had sprained his ankle. And so, Hinata Hyūga, was forced to take the blonde all the way to the nurses office at the other side of the school. And she had to carry him! Well, help him hobble around, but it was something! She got to physically touch him!

While they had been walking, and he had been talking her ear off (not that she minded) the topic of conversation had focused on what she wanted to do when she graduated. That point was fast approaching, and the pressure had been mounting on her to take over her father's company.

She confessed to the blonde that she truly didn't want to take over, and instead wanted to be a writer. She had always had a passion for creating characters and imagining scenes, and putting them on paper was something she had dreamed of her entire life. But, alas, her father's constant barrage of insults had torn down any chance of that. But, to her surprise, Naruto had grinned widely, and told her to follow her dreams. And, that he would help her!

And that's how her friendship was born with Naruto Uzumaki.

Her father had not received the news of her decision well, and had disowned her, giving eventual leadership of the company to her younger sister, Hanabi. And, while that had been painful, it had needed to be done. She didn't want to be under her father's thumb anymore, she wanted to follow her own dreams!

And so, that night, she had arranged a meeting with Naruto in an old coffee shop, where she had decided to confess her feelings to him, and see what became of it. And that, was, in fact, where she sat now.

* * *

With the final tapping of the keys, Hinata let out a contented sigh, closing her laptop down for now. It had taken her roughly two hours to write up that basic plotline for her novel, and as she took in the rather dreary scenery, she couldn't help but feel... alive.

Rain pounded down onto the concrete of the street and pavement, the streetlights flickering dimly under the constant barrage. There was no sign of the moon tonight, it having decided to hide behind the looming grey clouds that spouted water down onto the small amount of unfortunate pedestrians that were wandering around at this time of night. It certainly wasn't bustling, but she preferred it that way.

As the rain hammered onto the bus stop she was sitting under, she gazed, with her soft lavender eyes, through the window of the coffee shop. The interior looked warmer than what it was outside, as she wrapped the small coat she had brought with her around herself. And, sat at one of the tables, smiling charmingly to himself, was Naruto. And tonight would be the night she confessed. Tonight would be the night that she would get her happy ending.

That wouldn't be the case for the book, though. With a smile, she drummed her hands on the top of her light blue laptop. No, with the outline now finished, she wouldn't extend it any further. The protagonist would stare across from the bus stop, proud of herself and ready to confess her love. In fairness, this was her first time doing an outline, so it probably needed work, but she liked the way it was flowing. And, it did represent her quite a bit.

With a grin, she stood from her seated position, picking up her cup of instant ramen; she figured that Naruto would _adore_ this little gift from her. Clutching her laptop to her chest, she set out in the rain, and across the road.

Wiping the droplets of water from her eyes, Hinata couldn't help but feel truly alive. It had been so long since she felt so sure of herself, and how great it felt to have confidence.

"Oops!" She cried, slipping momentarily on the concrete, causing the cup of ramen to fall to the ground with a thud. Luckily, the lid had been firmly put in place, and there was no chance of the precious noodles from falling out.

As she bent down, Hinata couldn't help but realize how fast her life was moving now. And, quite frankly, she loved it! Only a week ago, she had been feeling hopeless and depressed, a future forced to lead a company she didn't desire to work at with a family that despised her. But, now, she was doing something that she loved, and was about to confess her love to someone else! She was finally moving from a crawl to a run, and nothing would stop her from gaining speed!

That was, of course, except for the speeding car that slammed into her, rupturing her internal organs, shattering her bones and killing her instantly.


	6. Mayhem: NaruHina

**Okay, so, this one is really, really short, and it sucks. I actually forgot about the challenge until really late at night, and then, after I finished this, I couldn't upload it due to some bullshit on this website. So, sorry it's late, and you'll also be getting another one soon. Happy NaruHina month!**

Hinata hadn't realize it before, but it was mayhem being married to Naruto Uzumaki.

She had always known him to be a bit mad. She loved him, of course, for all of his wonderful eccentricities, but he was bonkers.

And it only got worse when she had the triplets.

Apparently Kushina's grandmother had triplets as well. Go figure.

And everyday was a whirlwind of food, getting ready for school, more food, training, keeping up with friends, making other children, and food. Oh, and quite a bit of food. The Uzumaki's were a ravenous bunch, and demanded food of all shapes and sizes. But, of course, _especially_ ramen.

But, just for tonight, all was quiet.

While Hinata _really_ didn't like to admit it, she had some rather bad... hormonal mood swings when she was pregnant. She wasn't the most pleasant of person when she was in a bad mood with these swings, and so, the Uzumaki household would do anything to placate her. And she felt really, really bad about it.

But, as Naruto gave her a quick peck on the lips, and delivered her a steaming bowl of ramen, she didn't feel _that_ bad. And, as the children massaged her feet, legs, and shoulders, she sighed.

Life was mayhem. Most of the time.


	7. Gilding a Lily: ShikaIno

**Here we go, some ShikaIno loving! Enjoy!**

* * *

She was beautiful.

Shikamaru could watch her for hours, doing the most monotonous things. From cooking to cleaning to training to washing to doing paperwork. All of it should've been so very boring to watch.

But it wasn't.

He was deeply sexually attracted to her, he knew that much. But, there was something more.

The way her hair looked so soft and silky, as it flowed down her back or was put up in a ponytail, the sun just seeming to shine off it in the right way. The way her eyes, pools of clear blue rippled with any emotion, from anger, to pure bliss. The way her perfectly shaped lips would always morph into a delighted smile at the smell of flowers. The way her skin felt against his chest, the way they just molded together.

She was so beautiful.

But she didn't see it.

She would spend hours upon hours of time and effort into applying her make-up, a meticulous, and, quite frankly, pointless exercise. Why? Because she was beautiful enough already.

She would refuse to go outside, whether it be to the gym to lose weight (which she didn't need too) or to go out to eat (where she would order salad because of her diet) or anywhere.

She seemed to hate herself.

Hate her appearance, hate her face, her her hair, hate her body. She hated everything.

And Shikamaru couldn't understand why.

Why would you hide yourself under concealer and lipgloss, eye-shadow and mascara, when you looked so beautiful already?

As Ino came out of the bathroom, her make-up and hair done impeccably, Shikamaru smiled. Standing, he took Ino's hand in his, and they began to exit her apartment, heading towards the restaurant where they had dinner reservations.

And as they both looked at each other, and smiled, Shikamaru made a vow.

One day, he would make Ino see how beautiful she truly was.

And that was something he intended to keep reminding her for the rest of her life.

Well, if she found the ring in her wineglass, anyway.


	8. New Romance: SakuIno

First romances were always going to be awkward. It was a fact of life, you're always not quite right when trying something out for the first time. It generally doesn't go the way that it should.

And that was certainly the case for the very first date that Sakura Haruno had ever had in her life.

Well, that wasn't exactly the case. She'd been on a few dates with a few men, but none of them really amounted to anything much.

The difference was she was now going out with a...

Girl.

And she really didn't understand what the problem was. She had no problem with men dating other men, or women dating other men. Who was she to dictate who could love who? But, it felt so alien, the sheer prospect of going on a date with another woman. It didn't feel natural.

Perhaps that's how society is.

Still, Sakura thought, letting out a puff of hot air from her lungs, society probably wasn't the cause of all of this rain right now.

The water droplets were bucketing down onto the every surface they could find, exploding as the sky roared with rage, it's cackles illuminating the musty grey clouds up above.

Beside her, Ino Yamanaka was soaked through, shivering violently despite the cloak wrapped around her feminine frame. Her blonde hair was stained with water, and her face was wet.

Sakura sighed. What a day it had been.

To be honest, she really didn't know how 'they' had happened. They just sort of clicked one day. They felt something, an instant connection. It was odd and bizarre and alien... but it somehow worked. They didn't know how, and they didn't really want to know why. They fit together.

Or, at least they thought they did.

Their first date had been marred by problems. The dinner arrangements ended up being cancelled, their umbrellas broke, they were soaked through, and now they were stuck under a shelter for the foreseeable future.

Sakura turned to Ino, and frowned. "I'm sorry." She whispered brokenly.

Ino stopped trying to dry her hair, and turned to face the pinkette. With a soft smile, she said. "It's okay. I mean, this date went up shit creek, but I had fun."

Sakura snorted. "Really?"

"Yes, really. But, if we do go on another date, can we please avoid getting wet?"

"Prude."

"Saku-"

She was cut off as the pinkette pulled her into a searing kiss, that sent all the cold shivers away and replaced them with warm ones.

And so, the two girls kissed under the shelter in the pouring rain, both waiting for a less rainy day.


	9. Orchards: Shino

**Right, really sorry about the shortness of these. I'm really busy planning some story stuff and doing important work, so they'll most likely be short for a while. I will try and make more of an effort, though!**

Shino found it odd his family had an orchard.

They were not exactly the farmly kind, mostly dealing in silk from the family's silkworms, among other things. But an orchard? That was honestly the most bizarre thing he had ever heard about. And he was an Aburame.

And so, the six year old sat, as his father and mother picked apple after apple from the rows of trees. He watched curiously, but soon decided he wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So, standing upwards, he ran over to a nearby tree, and kicked it roughly. It shook slightly. However, an apple did not fall down.

Grunting in annoyance, Shino went to turn away, only to yell out, "Ow!" as an apple slammed into the top of his head. Rubbing the injured area, he glowered at the shiny red fruit on the ground. Reaching down, he picked it up and took a bite.

Instantly, his taste buds were delighted, filled with sweet crunches as he devoured the apple.

Perhaps _this_ was the reason his family had an orchard.


	10. Disillusionment: Sakura

**Okay, so I tried to make this one longer, and it became a sort of continuation to Day 2, so... yeah! Enjoy some more angst!**

* * *

She had been wrong about Sasuke.

She'd always been wrong.

Sasuke Uchiha was not who he should've been. In her mind, Sasuke should've been a dashing, polite man, ridiculously handsome and very charismatic. He would've been kind to her, and helped her train. They would've gone to dinner afterwards, and she would've broken through his brooding exterior, and reached the _real_ him. And they would spend more and more time together, and he would finally do it.

He'd confess that he loved her.

And they would date for a long time, and she would be the envy of Konoha. And they would all say, "You make such a cute couple!" and, "Your children are going to be adorable!"

That was what should've occurred. They should've gotten married with a beautiful ceremony, her in a white, flowing dress, and him in a smart tuxedo. And then they would go on a romantic honeymoon, awash with romance and lots and lots of sex.

And then she would fall pregnant with his child, and he would dote on her, and take care of her. And then the baby would be born, and it would be the first of many gorgeous and fantastic children she would have with him. And, finally, as their children grew older, so would they. And they would watch, with kind smiles as their children left them, and moved onto their own lives, fell in love, got married and had kids. And then, they would've passed away peacefully, happy and in love.

They were meant to be in love.

But she was wrong.

She stared down at the broken body of the man she once fantasized over, the one she was desperate to gain attention from.

He was certainly paying attention to her now.

The broken bodies of her comrades lay scattered around her, the charred and cracked earth painted crimson as their souls departed their bodies.

And it was his fault.

He had meant to be an ally. An unlikely one, but an ally nonetheless. She hadn't seen him for what seemed like forever.

He had finally come back.

Or, he should've.

Instead, with those damn crimson eyes, he murdered their teammate in cold blood. Blew the brains out of the back of his head. And that was when she knew.

It had all been a lie.

Whatever she felt for Sasuke had died in that moment. It had dropped into the deepest bowels of hell, replaced by an anger the likes of which the world would never see again. She had to have seen something in him at first. There must've been at least a slight chance he could turn out all right.

No. That would not be happening.

He had just murdered Naruto Uzumaki. Her best friend. Her brother.

And he would not get away with it.

Her fangirlish tendencies were gone as they danced, fist against fist, will against will. She had challenged him alone. This was her fight.

And after two hours of constant clashing, blood and sweat covering the canvas that had become their battlefield, she stood over him.

He had underestimated her.

And now, Sharingan deactivated, he could only stare at her with frightened, onyx eyes as blood poured from his mouth.

Sakura Haruno had loved Sasuke Uchiha to the point where, at one time, she would've killed for him.

But on that day, Sakura Haruno's love had been torn down into shreds, replaced with despair, heartache, and anger. And, on that day, Sasuke Uchiha's last sight, was Sakura's fist, exploding with chakra, smashing his head like a watermelon.

And for a while, Sakura stood, looking down at the bloody brain matter that once belonged to the love of her life. It now belonged to the ground.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, the girl collapsed onto her knees and wept. Wept for the loss of her brother.

And for the loss of her naivety.

Her name was Sakura Haruno. The Rokudamie of Konoha. And the killer of the greatest traitor in all of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, Sasuke Uchiha.


	11. Guardian Angels: Neji: LeeTen

**Another short one, but for good reason this time! I'll really ill, and not feeling great, to this is what you get! Honestly, I might expand on this and make it into a proper multi-chapter fanfiction. Would anybody be interested in reading that? Enjoy!**

He wouldn't really consider himself a guardian angel.

He wasn't much of a guardian, really. Merely a watcher of specific people, and giving them a hand once or twice. And he couldn't even give much of a hand, really. Only influence emotions slightly, or move things a little bit. Nothing major.

But he was helping.

Neji had died due to a cruel twist of fate in the war, but he didn't mind. He had lived well, and died protecting someone important.

But, his family weren't doing so well.

Not Hinata or Hanabi, they were doing great. Hinata had married Naruto, and Hanabi was becoming a fine kunoichi.

No, it was Lee and Tenten that were the most troublesome. Why? Because they wouldn't get together!

Even in life, Neji had noticed Lee's infatuation with Tenten, and vice versa. It was obvious, but the two refused to act on it. Lee was too focused on training, while Tenten was too focused on pointy things.

A match made in heaven.

And it had taken a long, _long_ time to get them together. Many awkward candlelight dinners, many romantic walks through the park. It almost drove the man to the brink of insanity at the amount of time it took for them to get together.

The wedding was beautiful.

It truly was a spectacle of green and white, a mix of wonderful colours and sheer passion and love.

It was the most beautiful thing Neji had ever witnessed.

Afterwards, they had walked to his grave, and said a few things. He didn't hear them, nor did he want to.

He merely smiled.

For the man he thought of as a little, annoying brother, and the woman who occasionally made him smile, he truly felt content that they were now together.

He felt the tingling on the back of his neck as he watched from behind the oak tree, not that he needed to,of course, they couldn't see him. It added a sense of realism to it, though.

But, the tingling meant that time was up. He was truly going now.

With a genuine smile, he walked up to the two, and embraced them in a hug. While they could not feel a thing, he felt _everything_.

And, with one final look at the couple, Neji disappeared from the mortal plane forever.

And, as the newly married couple walked away, linked hands, a white dove flew over Neji's grave and into the bright blue sky.


	12. Gratitude: Sakura:Angsty Slight SasuSaku

**Hey! Don't worry, I'm still doing this challenge! It's just for the twelfth and thirteenth days, I wrote something original for myself. And, alas, I missed yesterdays deadline due to computer troubles. But fear not, you will be getting two freewrites today! The first is a continuation of number two and, I believe, number ten, although I could be wrong. In any case, I hope you enjoy it! Oh, also, this could somewhat be interpreted as SasuSaku, but a really angsty version. Take that as you will.**

* * *

_Dear Sasuke,_

_I don't know why I'm writing you this. You've been dead for months now, and are nothing more than a memory. You were cremated, in fact. Kakashi-sensei and I were the only ones that came._

_This is meant to help me deal with... my problems. The problems you caused, Sasuke. The problems you never needed to cause._

_I'd always loved you, you know? I adored you when we were in the academy, but that was different. You were aloof and stoic and rude, but I saw something in you. I saw a flicker of hope, that you might whisk me away in your golden carriage, crown on your head, and beg me to be your bride so we could rule over the kingdom together._

_Wow. I really was pathetic, huh? Why didn't you tell me?_

_Right, you did._

_Looking back, you were a giant dick, you know that right? Everybody that tried to give you the time of day, you'd spit on it, and throw it back in their face. I can never understand what happened to your family, but the way you treated everyone? You treated them like utter shit, Sasuke. Complete and utter shit._

_But, back on topic (sorry that I'm rambling). It was never love when we were in the academy, it was just infatuation. A crush._

_That all changed when we became genin._

_Or, rather, you changed._

_I don't think you noticed, to be honest. But we all did. Well, Kakashi-sensei and I. Naruto didn't because he was... Naruto._

_I hate you so fucking much._

_You would smile more. Well, not really smile, the corner of your lips would upturn. Even though it was only the slightest thing, it was noticeable to those of the more intellectual disposition._

_I thought you were finally beginning to like me. I thought maybe you didn't hate everybody as much as you believed you did. And it was nice._

_And then you left._

_I understand why you wanted to leave, because I felt the same way you did. I wasn't getting any stronger under Kakashi-sensei, I was merely wasting away while you and Naruto defend me at every turn. From Wave to the Chunnin Exams to Gaara, you always had to step in to save me. It's not that I minded you saving me at first, Sasuke, after all, a dashing prince has to rescue a fair maiden, right? But then it got ridiculous, and I felt like a burden to everyone. So, I offered to go with you. To leave my entire family and friends, my home behind, just to be with the one I loved._

_And you said no._

_And I sincerely thank you for that._

_Without you telling me no, and without you thanking me, I wouldn't be the woman I am today. I wouldn't be one of the most highly requested ninjas of all time._

_But, fuck you. I hate you so, so much Sasuke. So very much._

_And then, we met again._

_I had trained for three whole years under you, Sasuke. I had fought and bled and cried myself to sleep each night waiting for you to come home. You didn't, but I kept on getting stronger._

_And my love for you grew._

_When Naruto came back, I was over the moon. He still wanted you to come home, and he would do it. I had faith in him. Naruto Uzumaki would bring you home, and we could all be a team again._

_You completely disregarded me when we met at Orochimaru's hideout. You didn't even spare me a glance. I was nothing to you._

_But I didn't see it. I thought you still liked me, because you didn't try to kill me. I thought we could save you from yourself._

_Then I tried to kill you._

_I really, really wish I had._

_And I could've. You were almost out of chakra, and my kunai was poisoned. You would've died, and that would've been the end of it._

_You know why I didn't kill you, Sasuke? It wasn't because Naruto wanted you home. It wasn't because I was scared of the repercussions with him. It wasn't because I was scared you'd end up killing me._

_I didn't kill you because I loved you, Sasuke._

_I loved you so much.._

_And then you joined our side in the war, and I was so, so happy. We had you back! You were working with us, and we worked together as a team. You smiled, and I mean really smiled, for the first time! I was over the moon. All of the fighting, all of the death, it was all eased a little by your presence._

_I loved you. But now, I fucking hate you._

_Why did you do it, Sasuke? Why did you feel the need, after I won, to give into jealousy!? We could've all been happy, and we could've been Team Seven again! At that point, it wasn't about love, we all just wanted you back Sasuke. We just wanted you home.._

_But, instead, you killed Naruto Uzumaki. Your friend, your rival. Your brother._

_You killed him without a second thought, because you're a selfish, disgusting piece of work. You murdered a man that had just achieved greatness, that for the first time in his life was acknowledged by everybody around him. He was to be The Sixth Hokage! But you, you took that all away from him, didn't you!? All the blood and the sweat and the tears he poured into every moment of his life, just trying to reach his dream and become acknowledged, that was all he wanted!_

_But you, and your selfish desires, and your petty jealousy, and your black heart had to ruin it all. You had to take him from me, a man I saw as a brother._

_So, I killed you._

_You murdered Naruto in cold blood, and I chased you down, and we fought. We fought long and hard, and we refused to give in to one another._

_But I won. Because I was better than you._

_You got cocky because of your Mangekyo Sharingan, and because you're an Uchiha. Everything can be countered and reversed, Sasuke. Everything._

_And I regret nothing. When I crushed your skull as you looked up at me with horrified eyes, I did it with pride. Because you deserved to die. You were a monster, Sasuke, while your brother as a victim of circumstance._

_I loved you more than you could ever know. We all loved you, Naruto loved you more than I loved you, in fact. We would've done anything to you. But you threw it all away, only this time, you took one of my precious people with you. And I can never forgive you for that._

_Kakashi-sensei was right, this was therapeutic. I'm glad I got my feelings out, and wherever you are in hell, Sasuke, I'll be joining you soon enough. I'm sure of that._

_Goodbye, Sasuke Uchiha. I always loved you._

_Signed, Sakura Haruno._

_PS: I fucking hate you._

_PSS: I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT, I HATE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH! FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU!_

_PSS: I miss you both so much._


	13. Explosion: Sasori and Deidara

**Not going to lie, I really have trouble writing Sasori and Deidara without homoerotic undertones. I honestly wasn't even trying to write them as a couple, but it sort of come across that way... But, meh, it's technically not yaoi in my head, but if people want to interpret it as SasoDei, then be my guest! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Deidara was pissed off.

He stormed angrily up the dirt path, his feet slamming against the ground as he grumbled to himself. The light summer air gently blew his blonde hair, blue eyes narrowed in irritation.

"I can't believe that old woman, un!" Deidara exclaimed, clenching his fists as he turned his one visible eye up towards the mainly cloudy sky. His Akatsuki robe shifted with the grass blades, as they swished to and fro, the butterflies dancing in the wind. With the sun burning down onto his back, the former Iwa Ninja turned and regarded his partner with an annoyed stare. "Sasori my man, can you believe her!?"

The puppet known as Hiruko turned it's wooden head to appraise Deidara with an angry stare. The dome shaped body, covered lightly by the Akatsuki cloak, looked like a small armoured vehicle as it trudged along the path, footsteps slow and meandering. "I cannot."

"But, on the plus side." Deidara grinned impishly. "I got to see you out of your puppet turtle, yeah!"

"It's not a turtle, Deidara!" Sasori snapped. "But, I suppose to you that would be a boon."

The two had been sent to a small village in the River Country, to investigate some possible traitors within Sasori's spy network. While Deidara had to admit, he did enjoy the scenery, there was a more tantalizing prospect at hand. In the six months that they had been partnered together, Deidara had never, ever seen Sasori out of his puppet. While he didn't necessarily wish to see the man in a sexual sort of light, he was highly curious to see what was underneath all that wood. For all he knew, Sasori might not even be a guy, he/she could be a girl! Neither thought really interested him, but it was the mysteriousness about it. Sasori could easily be a midget, or a fat oaf. Hell, he could even be the Kyuubi! But, he hadn't know Sasori's true identity.

Until they entered the village, that was.

Due to going undercover, the two men were forced to change into casual clothes, and while Deidara did think that Hiruko would look cute in a blue sweater, it didn't really fit with the subtle image he expected Leader wanted them to go with.

And so, he had seen Sasori's face for the first time. And, quite frankly, he wasn't totally sure if Sasori was just really effeminate looking, or was a giant baby. He wasn't comfortable with either. His red hair was rather striking, if a bit of an eyesore, and his eyes were so vacant... it was rather creepy, to be honest. Then again, most people thought it was creepy when he made his hands lick people. Such was life.

And so, the two had embarked on a quest to try and find the traitor. It did not go as planned.

* * *

_While the two had been walking around the moderately crowded villagers, the sounds of the people haggling for wares, and children playing ninja in the streets, when they were approached by an old woman. _

_Deidara didn't like her almost instantaneously. The way she peered at you over her long nose with those beady little blue eyes, mouth contorting into a lecherous grin._

"_My my!" She crooned, her voice high and shrill. "What a cute young couple you two make!"_

_There was a beat of silence._

_Deidara blinked, his eyes crinkling in confusion. "Sorry, hmm?"_

"_I said you two are such a cute couple! Look at you, all loved up, going out on a date are we!?" She winked at the blonde, who felt a flush creeping up his neck, anger seeping into his blood._

_Sasori remained impassive, although Deidara could've sworn he saw the redhead's vacant eye twitch. "We're not dating." He stated. "Now, if you would move, I would like to be on our way."_

"_Oh, perhaps a romantic meal in the park! How sweet!" She cooed, utterly ignoring Sasori. "Oh, young one, are you going to propose!? How delightful! I'm very good at flower arranging, perhaps I could be of assistance?"_

_Deidara really wanted to blow something up. Sasori looked as though he wanted to tear this woman apart._

_The Akatsuki were generally friendly people, once you got to know them._

_And so, for an hour, despite all the two tried, they could not escape the crazy old woman had her homosexual pairing fantasies._

* * *

"Stupid bitch." Deidara grumbled under his breath, his hands twitching as their tongues slipped out.

Sasori merely nodded in reply, Hiruko's blank eyes staring up at the vibrant blue sky and occasional fluffy cloud.

"Still." The Iwa Ninja said, his annoyed frown morphing into a small smirk. "I think we got them back, yeah."

In the background, flames roared as the town was engulfed in flames, wooden debris catching alight and spreading the wildfire. Bodies lay burnt in the streets, people screaming and cry as they ran around, the occasional _boom_ sending gore and flesh spewing all around.

Sasori smiled under his wooden defence.

Deidara's grin grew wider.


	14. Travelling Alone: Gaara

**Here we go! Again, sorry for the delay, my computer really seems to dislike . Whenever I try to go and see the 'My Stories' tab, it generally goes all weird, so I can't update the chapter. However, lets hope it works now! This one certainly isn't one of my best works, but the second one for today, in my opinion, is decent enough. I apologize if this isn't up to par with my usual standards, but I hope you're still entertained. Enjoy!**

* * *

Gaara had always travelled alone.

From the minute he was conceived, he was destined to be ignored. To be hated. Vilified, even.

As a child, he would sit in his nursery, jade green eyes sparkling with wonder and curiosity as he gazed around the room. But he would never sleep. And he would never giggle.

Because the whispers in his head wouldn't let him sleep.

What was worse, though, was how he couldn't fully hear them. He could hear only the faintest of sounds, but never full sentences, or words. Just unintelligible whispering.

He'd never told anyone. Not his brother, nor his sister. Not that he got to see them often enough to even say anything,

But that was a lie. He had told someone.

He'd told Yashimaru.

And, when asked what they meant, and what the sand that always defended him meant, the older man had smiled, and simply said. "They're what make you special, Gaara."

Special? They made him _special?_

Perhaps he had smiled somewhat at that, as his uncle had affectionately tousled his hair. He couldn't remember.

He didn't want to remember.

Because he had tried to kill him. And so, he had died.

Just like the rest.

And for the rest of his young life, Gaara knew he would wander the lonely road to death alone. He knew that for every step he took, it would be soaked in someone's blood. He knew with every breath he took, he would be taking someones away.

But he didn't care.

They would feed him. Feed his instability and his beast within, give him blood and a reason to be alive.

And that was how it went on, as he walked, soaked in the blood of those he had slain, unmoving, and unfeeling. Apart from anger, and rage.

Nobody could, nor would, stand in his way. His siblings quivered at his every word, his village shook at his every movement. They wouldn't stand in his way. Nobody would.

At least, that's what he thought.

For, along the lonely road one day, he was stopped by a boy. A boy with bright blonde hair, and shiny cerulean eyes. A boy with enthusiasm in his spades.

He had wanted to kill him at first. Naruto would make him feel alive.

But that had changed.

Naruto was just like him. He too had been ignored by the villagers, treated as an outcast with no friends or family. And yet, despite this, he had pressed on. He had tried to form emotional bonds with people, and had succeeded. A Jinchuuriki had friends.

The thought baffled and confused Gaara, and yet, at the same time, gave him hope.

Perhaps he had been wrong. Perhaps nobody did hate him. Not the important ones, anyway.

And so, Gaara of the Desert, Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure, did not walk along the lonely road. By his side were his two siblings, who had always loved him. By his side was his teacher, who had always respected him. By his side, were the villagers, who had come to admire and respect him as a leader.

And, by his side, was Naruto Uzumaki, future Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and his best friend.

Gaara smiled.

He wouldn't have to travel alone anymore.


	15. Money: Kakuzu and Hidan

**And here we go! I've never actually written Kakuzu and Hidan before, and I've got to say, it's really quite fun! Perhaps I should write more about them. I do apologize if I got their characterizations wrong, but I hope it doesn't detract from the humour of this freewrite. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The air was rich with a smell. A smell so great, so profound, so irresistable, that one person in the room could barely contain their excitement. What smell was it, you ask?

The smell of money.

Hidan's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, silver hair shining in the moonlight, ferocious face lit by the crackling embers of the campfire. His stony gaze was set towards Kakuzu, his bright emerald eyes gleaming, as he counted a bunch of gold coins rhythmically.

They had been sat there for the past two hours, and despite Hidan's insistence that they really, really should get a move on, Kakuzu refused. "Religious fool!" He had mocked. "Allow me to count my money in peace!"

The Silver Haired Shinobi grumbled a multitude of swear words under his breath, before taking a swig of his whisky that he had 'procured' from a man he met on his travels.

Oh, who was he kidding, he viciously slaughtered the man, ripped out his innards, and sacrificed him to Lord Jashin! Such was the life he led, and the life he loved.

But Kakuzu wanted to stop all that. With his constant hate speech, the mother-fucker wouldn't let him have any fun with the people they killed, even though the former Takigakure shinobi was constantly stopping and starting their missions! It was utterly ridiculous. It must've been, what, at least a week since he'd sacrificed? That was blasphemy! He would need to make it up to Lord Jashin with a massive amount of dead sometime soon.

If Kakuzu would ever stop counting his motherfucking money!

The slap of the coins echoed in Hidan's mind, over and over and over again, as the Money-Obsessed Akatsuki member continually placed them on top of each other in neat little rows, muttering the amount under his breath.

"Five thousand six hundred and fifty three, five thousand six hundred and fifty four, five thousand six hundred and fifty five..."

Hidan angrily kicked a log. "You know what, Kakuzu?" He goaded. "You're a little fucking bitch."

Kakuzu did not react to this, immersed in his counting. Hidan snarled. What a fucking annoying piece of shit.

Reaching for a stick, the silver-haired man began stoking the flame, images of Kakuzu's burning corpse littering his mind. He cackled with glee.

This _did_ catch one half of the Zombo Combo's attention, emerald eyes narrowing at him from across the roaring flame. "Quiet down Hidana." Kakuzu snapped. "I'm counting."

"Oooh, I'm counting. Look at me, I'm Kakuzu, with my dildo coloured eyes, and my rough croaky voice, oooh!"

Kakuzu resisted the urge to disembowel his partner, the wind roaring overhead, smashing against the trees and causing them to sway in resistance.

After a few more minutes of prodding, and realizing that Kakuzu was not interested, Hidan got back to stoking the fire with a loud huff. That dirty good for nothing cock-sucking piece of flaming shit.

He'd get him back. Just you wait.

* * *

When the night was at it's darkest, and the fire had soon gone out, replaced by some dying embers and light smoke, was when he struck. As silent as he could, Hidan crept across the campsite, stopping every once in a while to observe Kakuzu.

He twitched in his sleep.

Deciding that he wasn't awake, and eyes filled with an evil malice unkempt, he snuck over to the log, where Kakuzu had left his bag of money. Usually, the Treasurer of the Akatsuki would've taken his money with him, and stored it somewhere close by. But, after some careful planning (throwing the broth over his partner and dodging him for the rest of the evening), Hidan had managed to successfully distract the other half of the Zombie Combo long enough for him to forget, at least for the moment, about his treasured... treasure.

With a face-splitting grin, Hidan admired the golden coins, shining as brightly as the stars in the sky as they twinkled under the moonlight. This was going to be so much fun!

He did not see the figure come up behind him until it had been too late.

* * *

"Kakuzu! You raging bastard! Just wait a fucking minute for me to get the fuck down from here, and I'll rip all your fucking hearts out and shove them so far up your anus, you'll be wishing the Kyuubi itself was viciously pleasuring you with its raging cock!"

Hidan's head was vicious in his tirade against his partner, saliva flying from his mouth as he continued to swear rapidly at the man. The rest of his body was strewn up around the tree he was nailed too. An arm on that branch, a toe on at the bottom, a shoulder at the top. Oh, look, a torso right next to a leg, how great!

Kakuzu, green eyes glimmering with absolute pleasure, paused from counting his money, slamming the golden coin on the log. Turning, he greeted Hidan with something he could not see, for it was behind his mask.

A great, wide, sadistic grin.


End file.
